The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to the package structure of a multi-chip module.
Recently, multi-chip modules are being widely used. Each multi-chip module has a plurality of semiconductor chips within one package. The package structure of a conventional multi-chip module is shown in FIG. 10. A semiconductor chip 102 is mounted on a printed circuit carrier 101 by connecting a bonding pad 103 to a pattern electrode 104 on the carrier 101, using a bonding wire 105. Semiconductor chips 106 and 116 are mounted on the carrier 101 by connecting their electrode pads 107 and 117 to pattern electrodes 110 and 120 via bumps 108 and 118, respectively. The printed circuit carrier 101 is made of a plurality of wiring pattern layers 109.
The material of the printing circuit carrier 101 is generally glass-epoxy in order to provide a multi-layer structure of the carrier. Therefore, the carrier 101 cannot be bent so as to place it within the casing of a small component such as an IC card.
In order to ensure moisture resistance, the semiconductor chips 102, 106 and 116 mounted on the printed circuit carrier 101 cannot be exposed to the atmosphere, but must be sealed by some means, resulting in a large module.
Furthermore, in the conventional multi-chip module such as shown in FIG. 10, the semiconductor chips 102, 106 and 116 are mounted on the surface of the printed circuit carrier 101. It is therefore difficult to mount semiconductor chips three-dimensionally, in the vertical direction, hindering an increase of packaging density.
Still further, a conventional multi-chip module requires a number of manufacturing steps, resulting in increased manufacturing time and cost. The reason for this is that the step of laminating wiring pattern layers 109 of the carrier 101, the step of electrically connecting the semiconductor chips 102, 106 and 116 to the carrier 101, and the step of sealing the semiconductor chips 102, 106 and 116, are independently carried out.